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With so many more new people coming into the dog sport of canicross and not having seen the range of canicross belts in person, it can be very difficult to know what to buy for yourself. We’ve personally tried and tested every single belt sold on the K9 Trail Time website so you can always ask us if you have any specific questions, however in this blog we hope to give you the information you need to make a sensible choice from our selection.

Having the right canicross belt can make your runs much more comfortable for you and your dog

The first thing to say is that belts for canicross have always been called waistbelts but the reality is that they should all be worn sitting on the hips, not high around the waist and even if you have one of the wider padded belts, we always recommend to pull them down onto your hips. This is to prevent the force of your dog pulling being anywhere near your lower back. I have heard people try and differentiate between the styles by referring to some of the belts as ‘hip belts’ but I think this just confuses things because they should all be worn on the hips. The belts should probably just be called ‘belts’ to avoid any confusion!

The next thing to say is that a canicross belt is as individual for a person as a harness is for a dog, so don’t expect to buy the belt your friend has and for you to love it as they do. It might be they are a different shape to you, or their dog pulls differently to yours, or you just want different things from a belt. So try to avoid just buying what everyone else has and make the decision based on what your requirements are, that said, the popular belts are popular for a reason.

To help choose, identify what is most important to you in a belt, do you need pockets? I would say you can carry things like water, your phone, poo bags and keys in a separate way and not to rely on having a big pocket on your belt, as the type of belt that suits you best might not have pockets.

The Zero DC belts, which come in a range of colours, also have large pockets

Many people are now going for the lightweight belts such as the Non-stop Running Belt, the Neewa Canicross Belt and the Zero DC Speedy Belts. This type of belt directs the pull low down and across the backside so you feel like you are being ‘lifted’ forward if you have a strong pulling dog, rather than being pulled from slightly higher up. These belts all have a small pocket and leg straps you have to use for the belt to work correctly, so leg straps is another option you will have to consider.

It’s a myth that leg straps will chafe. I can count on one hand the number of people who have said their leg straps rub and it’s usually down to not having the belt fitted correctly. The belts have been designed by people who have been doing the sports for years and understand the needs of the belt, so have positioned the leg straps so they work to keep the belt in place without chafing.

The Non-Stop Running Belt is very lightweight and designed to pull from low down with integrated leg straps to keep it in place – Photo courtesy of Houndscape

The other main style of belt is the more traditional belt which has a padded middle section, perhaps with leg straps but some without. The Zero DC Canicross Belt, the Non-stop Trekking Belt, the Neewa Trekking Belt and Howling Dog Alaska Canicross Belt are examples of these. The Zero DC and Non-stop have removable leg straps, the Neewa has no leg straps and the Howling Dog Alaska has integral leg straps. Of these belts the Zero DC and Neewa have pockets, the other two do not. These are the type of belt I see most often being worn incorrectly, with the band high up on the waist and in the small of the back. I would always have it sitting on the top of the hips to protect the back, even if you’re just using the belt for walking.

The Howling Dog Alaska Canicross Belt is made in a more traditional style but should still be worn low down on the hips

There are a couple of other belts which sort of sit in the middle of the styles, the Non-stop Comfort Belt and the Dragrattan Ergo belt. Both have integral leg straps and spread the pull over the entire area of the material of the belt, the Non-stop Comfort is mesh material with a pocket and the Dragrattan Ergo is more padded but with no pocket. Both are good for strong pullers but have different attachment points at the front, which brings me to another difference in the belts which might influence your decision.

The Dragrattan Ergo Belt sits low down but is padded and has a sliding trigger clip for your your line

The Non-stop Trekking, Non-stop Comfort, Howling Dog Alaska and Neewa Trekking Belts all have a fixed point of attachment at the front, either a ring or in the case of the Non-stop, a clever hook and ring system (which allows quick release). The Zero DC belts have a rope to attach your line to, either by pulling it through on itself using the handle of the line or by using a carabiner in addition. The Non-stop Running Belt and the Neewa Canicross Belt have rings to attach your line to which slide over material at the front and you attach your line in the same way (thread through handle or use a carabiner in addition) and the Dragrattan Ergo belt has a trigger clip that slides on the rope, which negates the need for a carabiner.

Why would you prefer either a sliding attachment point or a fixed attachment point? The fixed attachment point gives you more control as your dog can’t move quite a far side to side on the belt, the sliding attachment point means if your dog is strong and pulls around a corner, you have a more gentle experience than if your line is fixed in the middle of the belt. It might not make any difference to you at all but these are things which I have found influence the decision people make when choosing a belt for themselves and from my own observations of how the belts work.

The Neewa Canicross Belt which is lightweight, has a pocket for storage and a sliding ring to attach your line to

Most of the belts available are ‘one size fits all’ however if you’re concerned that the belt may not adjust big or small enough for you then please do drop me an e-mail to check. Some of the belts do come in different sizes although this usually just means the material section is slightly bigger and the straps are more or less the same length regardless of size. We also have a couple of childrens’ belts in stock to cater for the very young or very small child, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for then again just ask and there’s bound to be an option that will work for your needs.

We have some exceptionally small handmade belts in stock at K9 Trail Time for children

If all this is still not helping you make a decision, drop me a line at emilyt@k9trailtime.com and I can help you with any specific questions but do have an idea of what your needs are, as I can’t make the decision for you, or even narrow down the options unless you have thought about what you might prefer first.

A well fitted canicross belt can make the experience so much more comfortable for you, so make sure you do get some good advice that is personal to you before making a purchase and ideally if you can get to a club who have a kit bag for you to try the belts out first, then that will ensure you are happy with your purchase.

Here at K9 Trail Time we stock such a wide variety of canicross equipment now, that there is often a choice of colour in the harness you can choose for your dog and sometimes even in the type of belt for yourself. Whilst choice is a great thing, sometimes having such a wide range can make choosing the right equipment more difficult.

Some harnesses come in a wide variety of colours

For example the Zero DC harnesses come in 132 different size and colour combinations as standard and you can custom order any combination of colours and sizes at an additional cost. This is great if one of the Zero DC harnesses is the best fit, shape and style for your dog, however that might not be the case. We’ve found that many dogs suit a different style of harness based on their individual body shape, style of running and what combination of activities the harness will be used for.

The Dragrattan harnesses only come in one colour of webbing which is red with a silver / grey or yellow stripe through it and though this doesn’t appeal to everyone, we have found these harnesses to be outstanding on some dogs, allowing them freedom of movement, good padding through the chest and a great fit on the neck.

The Dragrattan X-Back comes in one colour webbing only but it is fantastic harness on some working dogs – Photo courtesy of Hound and About Photography

Another harness which only comes in black and the colour of the top strap indicates sizing only, is the Non-stop Freemotion. The Freemotion is undoubtedly one of the best dog sports harnesses you can buy, but people seem to be put off sometimes by the fact it is black and apparently this is ‘boring’. Now we can understand why people would want to choose bright colours and have ‘team’ colours for clubs and individuals, however when it comes to choosing the correct harness for your dog, you have to be guided by what works best for your dog.

Similar colour choice is available for belts, as some of the waistbelts for people have coloured patches on them but others are just in plain black. The belts which come in different colours might not be the ones which suits your body shape and requirements best, you ideally need to try each one on to see how it works and where the pull comes from to make a judgement on if it will be the most comfortable for you.

The belts which come in a range of colours are great belts but might not be the ones for you…

We have found that by talking to people about what their requirements are and finding out what is most important to them, we can help them decide for themselves which belt will be the best option and therefore save a lot of wasted time and money trying out many options before finding the right one.

The purpose of this blog is not to put anyone off buying any of the colourful harnesses or belts but just to encourage you to look beyond the colours when making your choices. We personally love to colour co-ordinate and ideally we like everything in red and black (with a hint of white!). However we also recognise that the best fit for dogs and people might be the plain old ‘boring’ black option or the out of colour scheme webbing and what’s important to us is that you get the best and most comfortable kit for you and your dog.

We like to try and colour co-ordinate (or not as the case may be!) – Photo courtesy of Horses for Courses Photography

If you need any help choosing your equipment, we’ve used everything in the range we stock extensively and so can advise you exactly how it works and should fit, so we can give you our honest opinion based on experience. Feel free to e-mail: info@k9trailtime.com for your free consultation with regards to any of the dog sports equipment we stock.

As I said in my last harness blog, I am always being asked about harnesses and what is the best harness for someone’s dog, the answer is never easy but one of the first things I always ask is ‘does your dog always pull out front?’. If the answer is no then I will generally recommend a shorter harness, because these harnesses tend to suit dogs who are learning to pull, don’t always like to pull or are just a bit more laid back in their approach to the dog sports! In some cases a mid length harness will also be suitable, for example a couple of the better designed mid length harnesses will allow a dog to pull when they choose but do not interfere or hang loose if they are not pulling out front.

SHORT HARNESSES (Also suitable for walking your dog in and if you like to let your dog off lead)

Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. This harness is adjustable around the chest has lots of neck and chest padding for dogs who need support when running. Once it is adjusted this harness doesn’t move at all over the dogs’ back which is great if you let your dog free run and it has a second ring hidden in an elasticated pocket underneath the belly which can be used for training.

Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. This harness is the only one we sell which is adjustable around the neck and the chest, which means it can be suitable for different shaped dogs or even a growing dog as a starter harness.

Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back or move from side to side when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. There is both a ring to attach your line to and a cord, so you can choose which suits your dog best. This harness is adjustable around the chest has lots of neck and chest padding for dogs who need support when running.

MID LENGTH HARNESSES (Can be used for dog walking if any loose ties are secured or removed)

Recommended for: Dogs who pull out front and who also drop back when running. This harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, dog scootering and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. The ring to attach your line to has light padding underneath to prevent the clip of your line dropping in your dogs’ back if they slow down or drop back. This harness is adjustable around the chest and can fit a wide range of breeds, as sizing range starts very small and goes very large.

Recommended for: Out front pullers and also dogs who like to drop back sometimes, this harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, scootering, sledding and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. The back is left open for the dog to arch through and because the point to fix your line to is the cord at the back, rather than a cord at the base of the tail, this harness can suit a wide range of shapes and sizes of dog. It also has a belly strap which can prevent an escape artist from wriggling backwards out of the harness, unlike many of the other longer harnesses. The front part of the harness also stays securely in place if your dog switches from side to side on the trail.

Recommended for: Out front pullers, this harness can be used for canicross, bikejor, scootering, sledding and any other pulling sport without worrying about line angle. It can be adjusted around the middle and the fact it is only mid length means it can suit dogs who are short or long in the body. This harness is super lightweight and is excellent for encouraging young or novice dogs to pull into a harness because it is so soft and flexible on the dog.

Every dog we fit at K9 Trail Time is an individual, much in the same way a person is, so we base our recommendations on the information you provide about your dog and never just on sales margins or the most fashionable brand at the time. We have also tried and tested every single type of harness we sell so you can be sure we are offering you advice based on experience.

If you would like to contact us about a harness for your dog please e-mail: emilyt@k9trailtime.com

The dog harnesses we sell at K9 Trail Time have been personally tested and chosen for stock based on their durability, design and quality, we have selected them from the best dog sport brands available. Our suppliers all compete in the sports themselves which shows in the harnesses they produce for sale.

Choosing the best selling harnesses of the year was a much more difficult task than the lines and belts because every dog is individual and the reason we stock so many different types of harness is to cater for this uniqueness. As a result we sell such a wide range that picking 3 was impossible, so we’ve gone for the top 5 in this category.

1 – Non-stop Freemotion – this harness is excellent for strong pulling dogs and has been designed to keep the dogs’ spine free to flex, plus the adjustable length straps and side straps mean it fits a wide range of breeds of dog and so suits a greater number of dogs.

The spine of the dog is left free by the top straps and the harness can ‘breathe’ with the dog

2 – Howling Dog Alaska Second / Tough Skin Harness – this harness is perfect for dogs new into the sport because it is soft and forgiving on the neck and can encourage a dog to pull into it. It is also very suitable for established pulling dogs too and has a low price point for a harness which is unique in design.

My Sprollie Donnie modelling the Second Skin harness, he has been my chief tester because he is such a strong puller!

3 – Dragrattan Multi-Sport Harness – the newest design of harness we stock, the Multi Sport by Dragrattan, is great for every sport from Canicross to Dog Sledding and because the main part of the harness finishes half way down the dog, it fits a huge range of dogs. It also doesn’t slip with a dog who pulls sideways, so has been very popular with dogs who drop back sometimes when running.

The Dragrattan Multi-Sport is proving to be a very popular choice of harness for dog sports this year – Photo courtesy of Hound and About Photography

4 – Zero DC Short Harness – this is one of the original harnesses we have sold since day one and it’s design hasn’t changed, other than an expansion in colours and sizes available. The Zero DC Short is great for all sports and even dog walking, with many dog owners choosing this as just a comfortable and tough dog harness for every day use.

The Zero DC Short Harness has been popular for all the years we’ve been open

5 – Neewa Running Harness – another great value short harness which has provided a great option for some of the most difficult to fit dogs this year because of it’s adjustable neck. No other harness we sell has the ability to change to the neck size and so it is suitable for a walking harness for growing puppies and also as a canicross harness for dogs who still have some ‘bulking’ out to do.

The neck on the Neewa Running Harness is unusually high but this doesn’t cause any issues

Of course because we stock around 30 different styles of harness there are some notable omissions in this list, the Zero DC Long Harness which is another great one for strong pullers, leaving the dogs’ back free to arch. The Non-stop Half Harness which is the short harness provided by Non-stop and is only second to the Zero DC Short because it only comes in black! The Dragrattan X-Back Harness is a traditional design which is one of my personal favourites but is often over-looked for the more ‘current’ harness designs and the Neewa Adjustable Racing Harness is another highly adjustable long harness with a very attractive price tag.

As you can see it has been extremely hard for us to list even the top 5 best selling harnesses and because this is our passion we don’t stock anything we don’t recommend. When you buy a harness from K9 Trail Time, you can be assured you’re buying something fit for purpose which has been trialled for quality long before it ever reaches our website.

Harnesses come in so many shapes and styles now, it’s worth getting help to choose the right one for your dog

If you have any questions with regard to harnesses then please do get in touch with us info@k9trailtime.com

We look forward to seeing you and your active dogs out and about in 2017!

Continuing the theme of best-sellers, the waist belts we sell here at K9 Trail Time have gradually been expanding in range too, as the top brands bring out better materials and designs based on feedback from the growing number of participants.

We have seen a number of innovative styles released since we first started canicross and as manufacturers respond to the canicrossers’ needs, we’re sure we will see more new belts being brought out in the future.

One thing that we do often get asked is for a ‘hip belt’ rather than a ‘waist belt’ but the term really just describes where you might wear it, as we call all of our belts ‘waist belts’ but they should all (in our opinion) be worn low down on the hips to prevent any strains to the lower back.

So from our current range, our 3 top-selling belts are as follows:

1 – Non-stop Running Belt – Top of the range and fully adjustable, this belt is the one people seem to stop upgrading at, so we have to class it as number one!

3 – Zero DC Canicross Belt – A more traditional design but with detachable leg straps for those who aren’t sure if they will like them, plus a huge back pocket, this belt has been very popular for years.

The Zero DC Canicross Belt, with detachable leg straps seems to offer the best of everything

Of course we have many, many more belts in stock and would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of them with any customer. The Zero DC Speedy belt is a personal favourite of mine and the Dragrattan Ergo and Howling Dog Alaska belts are all up there but just fractionally behind in sales when compared with the 3 above this year – that doesn’t mean they won’t be up there next year though!

In 2016 we saw so many new people taking up the dog sports that we are confident when we say they are a lot more happy, active dogs out there! To help people who come to us for advice we always make recommendations based on their own personal circumstances and we like to provide a choice of dog harness, human waist belt and line if we can.

After another great year and just about to go into our 6th year of trading, we thought we would write a few short blogs on our best-sellers for you, to help you decide if they might also be suitable for you. We’re starting with lines as your bungee line is a vital piece of equipment, often over-looked when it comes to choosing kit but it’s important to get a good quality one for the safety of you and your dog.

So our top 3 selling brands of bungee line are:

1 – Arctic Wolf (3 different lengths and both one or two dog, canicross & bikejor)

The rising popularity of the Dragrattan Multi-Sport harness, brand new to the market in 2016, has led us to do this short product feature to help you decide if this harness might be suitable for your dog.

The first thing I would say about the Dragrattan Multi-Sport is that it looks complicated, I know a few people I have spoken with about the innovative design, have said it looks difficult to work out how to put on the dog. In reality the harness works in a very simple way and it’s only the detachable belly band which makes it look more complex to fit than it is.

The Dragrattan Multi-Sport looks complicated but is actually really simple in it’s design

The Multi-Sport has the traditional diamond shaped neck opening and well padded chest strap of all the Dragrattan harnesses and then the design goes minimalist on the back of the dog so you are left with just a simple cord from the end of the side pieces for attaching your bungee line too. It is here the belly band can be found too and this is excellent for dogs who can back out of traditional x-back harnesses.

There are a couple of things we love about this harness and the first is that it leaves the dogs’ back free to arch when running. A few of the other longer style harness we stock also have this as a feature but in addition to this, the harness also stays very straight on the dog at the front when pulled at an angle, meaning the likelihood of any rubbing under armpits for dogs who ‘crab’ to one side is greatly reduced.

The Multi-Sport doesn’t tend to twist at the front if your dog is pulling to one side (both dogs in the picture are in them) Photo courtesy of Sport Pictures Cymru

We have been using these harnesses all year and they were our harness of choice for our long distance challenge we completed in May because they are so versatile and your dog can even be let off safely with only the back cord hanging free when the harness is not pulled into.

The only fault I can find with the Dragrattan Multi-Sport is the same as with every standard size harness you can buy, they will not fit or suit every dog and although the design accommodates a much broader range of dog breed and shape than most longer style harnesses, if the body of the harness is too long on the dog, then it will not work comfortably.

In conclusion we think this harness is one of the best you can buy for participating in a number of different dog sports and although looks a little tricky to begin with, once you have mastered where the straps go, your dog will find this a very comfortable harness for all dog sports.

For more information or to buy this harness please follow the link below: